Conversation for Thought
by celestehalcyon
Summary: Japan catches up with the current situation of a certain Shin Makoku from a most reliant source. Short drabble with a change of POV at the end :


**Conversation for Thought**

_Note: This fanfiction of _Axis Powers Hetalia _crosses over with a fanfiction of _Kyou Kara Maou_ having a similar title_. _Although it isn't necessary to read the other fanfiction to understand the events in this _Hetalia_ fanfiction, you'll get to see the same events from different perspectives if you read both fanfictions!_

_Disclaimer: Hetalia belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz while Kyou Kara Maou belongs to Tomo Takabayashi. _

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><p>A man adorned in the traditional kimono came into the large sitting room where a teenager looking no younger than sixteen years of age occupied one side of the low table. The shoji doors were left open to peer out into the traditional Japanese garden. The sight was quite serene, and he smiled when he saw a bird perch onto a bonsai tree branch. The sound of the bamboo fountain resounded.<p>

Smiling black eyes shone through round glasses as the teenager told his host, "It's really peaceful here, isn't it, Japan-dono?"

Said host adjusted his kimono as he sat on the other side of the table. "Yes, you're right, Murata-kun." Especially when the other nations weren't around to disrupt the quiet, Japan added in thought. He didn't think it wise to voice it, though.

The teen's glasses reflected off the light as he smiled at the nation. "Please, call me Muraken."

The nation blinked at him for a moment, then smiled back politely. "Then, simply Japan-san can suffice."

A round of silence went through them, the sound of bamboo hitting bamboo echoing around the room. Pochi peeked out from underneath the table and looked at its master with a slight whimper. Japan smiled at his pet and petted its head gently. "So what brings you to my house today, Muraken?"

Murata's voice had an underlying tone of alarm as he muttered, "All Forbidden Boxes are about to be assembled."

Japan paused in his petting Pochi and turned to the teenager with a frown. "And what of Soushu?"

"They're still contained, but the seals have gotten weak over the centuries. It might have even gained more power since its displacement from Shin Makoku." Black eyes narrowed behind round glasses. "I don't know how much time we have left before they completely break out of the boxes…"

Pochi looked at its master again, sensing the nation's tension. Japan's frown deepened slightly. "So it might even be possible for them to reach as far as this world..."

Murata uttered neither affirmation nor denial to Japan's words, and instead pressed, "Have you noticed anything strange from the other nations? How about Switzerland-sama?"

"Switzerland-san isn't showing any particular reactions," the nation replied, cradling his chin in thought. Then, with a shake of his head, he added, "Although it's difficult for me say, I don't know him well enough to tell for sure. I could ask Liechtenstein-san or Austria-san, but I'd rather not let them on."

"That's fine. The less people in this world who know about the situation, the better."

"Has Rodriguez-sensei notified you on what Bob-san's next move is?"

The teenager put on a wry smile. "I'm afraid not, though I don't want to push the matter when it's to the good sensei. He doesn't know all the details yet, after all."

The Japanese man muttered a soft, "I see..." before drifting off into his own thoughts. He knew Murata's situation, as well as the existence of the other world, since his people were entrusted with the Daikenja and the Maou's souls. He tried to keep an eye out for them this whole time, even going as far as visiting America more often just to see through the welfare of the Shibuya family when they came to live in New York that one time.

But now... Now, he wondered if he could keep on watching over them like before. What with all the happenings not only in his country but also between the other nations, he wondered if he could still help in the other world's affairs. There was only so much a nation like Japan could do...

"Japan-san."

The nation stirred out of his reverie and blinked as smiling black eyes looked at him. "I know it must be hard on you, performing your duties to your citizens and this world, and at the same time, giving aid to the other world when you can. Don't think that I didn't notice you back in the dolphin show," the teenager pointed out. "You were there in the park too, weren't you?"

At that, Japan's shoulders flinched. Was he that obvious? He offered a short bow, muttering, "I apologize if I had intruded you and Shibuya-kun's personal space."

"Nah, don't worry about it," the teenager waved it off with a gesture of his hand. "Although," he continued with a sly smirk, "you could say it was more of stalking than..."

"Again, I humbly apologize," the nation bowed again, his cheeks starting to fluster.

The smirk softened into a cheery smile as Murata said, "That's alright. You're just worried about us, aren't you?" With a slight sulk, the nation nodded. "I figured as much. It's not really a bad thing, and it's understandable, considering it's you. But that also makes you one of the people who should realize that we're not mere children anymore."

Murata continued with undecipherable eyes, "You've seen how much Shibuya and I have grown over the years. Between the two of us, Shibuya's changed the most, becoming the great king for his people. Surely, you can see with your own eyes that we can take care of ourselves, both in this world and the other."

Japan was taken aback by the teenager's words, or were these the words of the Daikenja? He looked at the teenager sitting on the other side of the table, really _looked_. The soft features of a child was starting to sharpen along the edges. Even with the school uniform, he could tell that the boy was no longer as lanky as he had last seen him. And didn't he used to just reach him by the ears a few years back? Now, sitting before him was not the same growing boy with a highly intellectual mind, but a man befitting the role of Daikenja.

Murata then winked at the nation. "We won't forget how you help us, though. If ever we were to come out of this mess, Shibuya and I might even get a chance to return the favor."

He couldn't find the words to say anything against that, and seeing the sincerity in the teenager's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to do so either. Japan smiled back and said, "I'll be looking forward to it."

~oOoOoOo~

Yuuri looked at the grand traditional gates for the umpteenth time before heaving a deep sigh. Murata sent him a text message, telling him to pick him up in front of a certain house. He looked around the street again. He was sure this was the address, though Murata could have told him in his text that it wasn't _just_ a house. He thought it'd be a house like all the others in that neighborhood, but no. The white walls surrounding the estate must be at least ten feet tall. Said estate could have covered up to three times the size of the Shibuya family's lot. The whole place was huge, no, humongous!

It's as if a piece of Kyoto was dropped off right here in this neighborhood!

Geez, he wished Murata could've been a bit more specific about these things. He just came from baseball practice, and Yuuri felt a bit out of place with his baseball uniform and gym bag while being in front of a place as fancy as the traditional Japanese estate.

Just when the teenager couldn't feel any more out of place, a booming voice with a distinct American accent called out, "Hey, kid!"

Yuuri jerked and turned to where the voice came from. A foreigner, obvious from natural blond hair and clear blue eyes, walked towards him with a bright smile. The foreigner wore a brown bomber jacket and even a pair of combat boots, but he rather thought that it suited him. Yuuri wondered, as he stared at the dazzling foreigner, if this was what it felt like to be around a superstar.

The foreigner stopped short to stand before him (heck, he was towering over the Japanese teen) and gave him another million-watt smile. "So, you a friend of Kiku's?"

"I, uh..." Yuuri felt himself tongue-tied at a simple question. Finally, he came up with a lame, "...W-What?"

As if not noticing the Japanese teen's paling face, the foreigner looked at Yuuri's baseball cap with a twinkle in his eyes. "Hey, is that a baseball cap?" he said, the enthusiasm more than a little obvious in his voice. "Do you play baseball?"

After moments of stunned surprise, he nodded. And mentally yelped as soon as the foreigner clasped both of his shoulders (with a bone-breaking grip) and cried out in his face, "Aw man! That's awesome, dude! So you play in a team? Which team is it? Are you the leadoff? Or maybe the seventh?"

Yuuri was struggling to keep up with the foreigner's zipping questions. "Yes, well, I'm the captain and—"

"Really? You don't look all that tough to me."

A black brow twitched. "Excuse me?"

"So who's your all-time favorite baseball team? Personally, I think the Yankees are gonna rock this April!"

"B-But the Boston Red Sox stand a chance, too!" the teen returned, his tone suddenly firm.

"Y' think so? Well, they sure got their game going too, let me tell ya!"

As the American trailed off into an eye-twitching laughter, Yuuri tried not to step away from the strange foreigner. "U-Uh..."

"I think you're overwhelming the poor boy, Alfred-san."

Both teens looked, and found Murata and another man in a traditional kimono looking back at them from the gate. The foreigner was the first to speak up. "Kiku! Hey!"

The man in the kimono smiled in greeting at the American teen just as Murata walked towards Yuuri with a waving hand. "Shibuya."

Yuuri snapped out of his confused daze and, once his friend was close enough, hissed, "Murata! Why didn't you tell me you were actually meeting an important person in this... this... _mansion_!" A childish thought ran through his mind that he wanted to look inside too, but Yuuri banished the thought as soon as it came.

"Hey, relax, Shibuya," Murata told him with a cool smile. "I just thought that I didn't have to tell you yet."

"But still!" Yuuri began to frown at his so-called friend.

Murata just chuckled it off and, turning to wave at the Japanese man, said, "We'll be on our way then."

The Japanese man paused in his conversation with the American teen and waved in return, saying the customary reply, "Take care of yourselves now."

"Let's get going then, Shibuya~!" the spectacled teen said as he half-pushed a stubborn Yuuri to walk away from the grand Japanese estate. A few more forced steps and Yuuri began to walk on his own as both teens made their way out of the street.

Yuuri was still frowning when he muttered to his friend, "I didn't know you know someone as important as that man back there. He even seems to get a lot of foreign visitors," he added, recalling the hyperactive American teenager.

"Like I said, I just thought that I didn't have to tell you yet. By the way," Murata continued with his eyes unseen from the glint of his glasses, "what made you say that that man was someone important?"

Yuuri looked at the other skeptically. "Didn't you see the size of his 'house'?"

"Any rich person or someone from an ancient bloodline can have a house as big as that," the other pointed out without skipping a beat. Black eyes behind glasses glanced in waiting. "Well?"

With a shrug, Yuuri finally muttered, "I don't know. I just... had a feeling, that's all." He took a moment to look back at the faraway rooftops of the traditional grand estate. Hmm... "Hey, Murata," he called to his friend who turned to his attention, "just who was that man anyway?"

At that, Murata gave him another one of his cryptic smiles. "You'll know soon enough."

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><p><strong>Special Notes:<strong>

Leadoff – Nickname in American baseball for the first hitter, he's generally the fastest baserunner in the team whose goal is to reach the next base and score. The first hitter of nine doesn't have to be a power-hitter though.

Seventh – The seventh hitter in the order, he's not as strong as the other power-hitters and has a lower batting average.

America: "...this April!" – According to bizofbaseball(dot)com, the 2011 season of MLB (Major League of Baseball) starts this 1st of April, earlier than the previous seasons.

Japan's customary reply – It may come off as almost subtle because the Western countries don't normally practice it, so there's no proper translation of it in English. However, I'm sure readers are aware of the _ittekimasu_ and _itterashai_ phrases used in the Japanese household. I simply took the liberty of adjusting the translation to make it fit more into the storyline.

**A/N**: If ever you're wondering, this is set well into the second season of KKM but not so far as when the Shin Makoku group travels to Yuuri's world.


End file.
